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ENUFF Z'NUFF BAND PAGE
 ENUFF Z'NUFF
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CURRENT NAME
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Enuff Z'Nuff | |
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FORMER NAMES
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Enough Z'nuff | |
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ORIGIN
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Blue Island, Illinois, USA | |
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STATUS
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Active | |
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FORMED IN
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1984 | |
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LABEL
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Frontiers Records | |
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GENRE
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Hard rock | |
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STYLE
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- | |
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LYRICAL THEME
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- | |
| BAND ADDED | 2007-05-02, 02:44 | |
| LAST UPDATE | 2007-06-16, 09:52 | |
Biography | Band members | Discography | Shows | Forum
| Band biography |
Musically their most important influences are listed as Cheap Trick, Off Broadway, Pez Band, The Raspberries, Badfinger, Elvis Costello, Queen, and most notably, The Beatles. At first the band was known as Enough Z'nuff and they used this name for their 1985 debut demo "Hollywood Squares". The band quickly gained a strong local following and their debut single, "Fingers On It", was featured in the 1986 John McNaughton directed movie Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer.
Several major labels such as Capitol, Chrysalis and Warner Bros. showed interest in the band but they decided to sign with Derek Schulman at Atco Records. In August 1989 Atco released their eponymous debut album where the founding members Donnie and Chip had been joined by guitarist Derek Frigo, son of the Chicago violin virtuoso Johnny Frigo. Two songs off the album, "New Thing" and "Fly High Michelle", became minor hits and appeared on MTV. The debut was produced by the band together with Ron Fajerstein and it climbed to number 74 on the national charts. "Hot Little Summer Girl" was also featured on the soundtrack to the immensely popular TV series "Beverly Hills 90210".
In 1990 the band went out on the road for a US tour, supported by Britain's Shy on several dates. At this point Enuff Z'nuff were not happy about the media portraying them as a party glam rock band and they decided that less make-up and excessive clothing was the way to go for the next album in order to come off as a more serious rock band.
The band's sophomore album, March 1991's "Strength", was very well received and the renowned Rolling Stone magazine referred to the band as "The hot band of the year." Production duties were split between founding members Donnie and Chip alongside Paul Lani. Rumors told a story about Robin Zander (Cheap Trick) and Paul McCartney had been enlisted to sing on "Time To Let You Go" but neither is featured on the album. Videos were shot for the singles "Mother's Eyes" and "Baby Loves You" and the band did an appearance on David Letterman's talk show where they played the latter song.
Despite Rolling Stone's honourable mention of the band, "Strength" sold less than its predecessor, peaking at number 143 on the national charts but it did well in the UK where it reached number 56. Leaving Atco Records they were picked up by Clive Davis' Arista Records for the 1993 album "Animals With Human Intelligence" which was another sucessful release although Derek Frigo still decided to part with the band after the studio sessions in 1992 because of creative differences. During this period the band members became increasingly frustrated with their careers as their rock n' roll dreams had not turned out to be what they expected, resulting in heavy substance abuse.
Their third album had been recorded with the aid of Ritchie Zito and even though Vikki Foxx was still with them he is only listed as a session drummer this time. Kim Bullard did keyboards for the album and the guitar legend Slash (Guns N' Roses) did a sitar solo for "Takin' A Ride" although he was not officially credited. The band's downward spiral did not end and their third album failed to chart at all despite a European tour in support of Poison as well as another appearance on David Letterman. Arista's solution to the present situation was for Donnie to part with the rest of the band to become a solo pop artist. This was not an option for him, leading to Enuff Z'Nuff parting with Arista.
Without the support of a label, Foxx decided he was better off joining Vince Neil's band and he left the band under less than amicable circumstances, being replaced by Ricky Parent, formerly a member of bands like Deep Freeze and War And Peace. Frigo was replaced by the original guitarist of the band, Gino Marino, although his family life demanded him to leave once again in 1995.
In May 1994 the independent New York label Big Deal released the band's new album "1985" in the US with liner noteds courtesy of Howard Stern who had apparently become a big fan of their music. The cover art, featuring a picture of Madonna on a spoof Penthouse cover and even though her face was covered it didn't stop her from filing a law suit against Enuff Z'nuff. The Japanese version of the album, released by Far East Metal Syndicate, featured a cover of Beatles' "Hide Your Live Away" which had been recorded live on the Lonn Friend Pirate Radio Show.
The band now started working on what was at first announced as a double album for the Japanese market but in the end the collection of newly composed songs were split into two separate releases - "Tweaked" as a regular Enuff Z'nuff album while "Brothers" was credited to Chip & Donnie only. Once again the band caused a bit of controversy as their UK label Music For Nations refused to release "Tweaked" with the same cover as the Japanese version which featured an Irish Republican funeral procession that Chip's father had found in a Time magazine copy. The recording sessions for "Tweaked" took place in no less than five different Chicago studios - Donn's, Mindscape, Star Trax, Groove Master and Chicago Recording Company. Several guest musicians appeared, including former member Derek Frigo.
In 1995 Chip launched his own label Stoney Records and his first release was Junebug's "Ticket To Hell" for which he also assumed the role of producer. Chip also joined the all-star project The Wild Bunch, featuring members of Material Issue, Guns N' Roses and Blondie, until the band's tour was cut short due to the death of Material Issue's Jim Ellison. In February 1996 "Peach Fuzz" was released, an album comprised of demo material and previously unreleased remainders from the "Animals With Human Intelligence" sessions. Once again Frigo came back to guest on no less than four tracks.
During December 1996 the band toured the UK with former Pinch guitarist John Monaco stepping in. Music For Nations released the album "Seven" in February 1997 which was actually nothing else than the Chip & Donnie album "Brothers" with two bonus tracks featuring Derek Frigo's father Johnny guesting on violin. At this time Epic Records also wanted the band to participate in a Cheap Trick tribute album called "Cheap Shots" for which they donated their take on "Everything Works If You Let It" although the album was never released.
In the end of 1997 Enuff Z'nuff headed out on the road again with Dokken and Pretty Boy Floyd while a live album was released for the Japanese market. The live album, simply titled "Live", appeared in America and Europe via the Mayhem label in July 1998, including an entirely re-recorded studio version of "Brint It On Home" from the "Animals With Human Intelligence" album which was also to be featured in the movie "Jerry Maguire". The new studio album "Paraphernalia" surfaced later in the year. Lead singer and songwriter Donnie Vie temporarily stopped touring with the group in early 2001 since he wanted to focus on a possible solo career.
In 2003 the band participated in the Versailles Records Van Halen tribute "Best Of Both Worls" with a cover of "Yankee Rose". Later the same year Perris Records released their new studio album "Welcome To Blue Island" in the US, including covers of Nirvana's "All Apologies" and Beatles' "Hide Your Love Away". During June and July Enuff Z'nuff took part in the first "Metal Sludge" US tour together with Pretty Boy Floyd and Faster Pussycat. On August 31st the band performed at the Cat Club in Hollywood with both Derek Frigo and Vik Foxx joining Donnie Vie. The unique show was recorded for a later release and the reunited band members were set to work on a new studio album but on May 28th, 2004, Frigo was found dead from an apparent drug overdose at the mere age of 36.
The band's thirteenth studio album, strangely entitled "?", was released by Italy's Frontiers Records in 2005 and included a cover of Queen's "Stone Cold Crazy". A UK tour with long-time road comrades Pretty Boy Floyd and Bang Tango followed in April. On October 30th Chip was involved in a one off band for a gig at the Rainbow Bar & Grill in Las Vegas together with drummer Steven Adler (Guns N' Roses, Adler's Appetite), vocalist Sheldon Tarsha (Adler's Appetite) and guitarists Michael Thomas (Beautiful Creatures) and JT Longoria (Izzy Stradlin).
From the mid 90s through 2005 the band has made regular appearances on the Howard Stern Radio Show and he even included a chapter on Chip Z'nuff in his book "Private Parts". In 2006 the original members teamed up once again to shoot a pilot for the VH1 reality show "Bands On The Run". Further touring took place in June 2006 when they teamed up with Vixen for a US trek. In July 2007 the band was set to play at Rocklahoma, a unique three-day outdoor festival in Pryor, Oklahoma, that is to become the largest 80s rock event ever organized and headlined by Twisted Sister.
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